Pratt v. New York Central Insurance
Pratt v. New York Central Insurance
Opinion of the Court
There are no exceptions to the admission or rejection of evidence relied upon for the reversal of the
The policy in question was issued upon the application of the plaintiff, and he paid the premium. He had at the time an interest as mortgagee in the.insured property. The nature of his interest was stated to the, defendant when the application was made, and the form of the policy was left to the judgment of the defendant’s agent. It does not appear that the plaintiff was acting, in procuring the policy, as agent for or at the instance of Tallen & Co., the owners of the property. They were named in the policy as the persons insured, but tjie loss, if any, was by its terms payable to the plaintiff as his interest might appear, and his mortgage interest was much greater than the amount insured. The policy was
The question, arises, whether the parol consent of the company,' after the title to the insured property vested in the plaintiff by the forelosure, that the policy should continue in force for his benefit, confirmed it as a valid subsisting contract, notwithstanding the provision in the policy that upon a change of title to the, property, by foreclosure or otherwise, the insurance should “ immediately cease.” I think that it cannot be held that the retention of the premium, paid on effecting the insurance, furnished a consideration for renewing and continuing the contract of insurance after it had been avoided by the act of the insured. The policy had attached, and the risk had been assumed by the defendant, liable to be terminated by the occurrence of certain events specified in the policy. If it was terminated pursuant to any condition in the policy, and without fault of the defendant, the whole premium was earned, and the insurer had a legal right to retain it, although the whole term fixed for the running of the policy had not elapsed. (Shaw, Ch. J., Felton v. Brooks, 4 Cush., 207.) It is not like the cases cited where the policy was void in its inception, and no risk had been incurred by the underwriter; nor is it the case of the modification of a contract, which at the time was mutually obligatory. (Fish v. Cottenet, 44 N. Y., 538; Shearman v. The Niagara Fire Ins. Co., 46 id., 526; 2 Phil, on Insurance, § 1819.) But clauses of forfeiture and avoidance are for the benefit of the party in whose favor they are made, and he may insist upon them or not, at his election. (2 Am. Leadg. Cases, 306, and cases cited; Clark v. Jones, 1 Denio, 516.) In many cases the party who could insist upon the forfeiture of a contract, and who could elect to abandon it, has an interest to waive the forfeiture, and treat the contract as subsisting, notwithstanding the failure of the other party. In this case, the defendant elected to continue the insurance in force for the benefit of the plaintiff, who had paid the premium, and for whose immediate benefit the policy was issued,
The proofs of loss were prepared in conformity with the direction of the defendant’s agent and secretary, and were retained by the defendant; and under the circumstances the plaintiff was not boimd to furnish additional proofs upon a general notice by the company, without specification of the points in respect to which they were deemed defective.
The judgment should be affirmed, with costs.
All concur.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Eugene B. Pratt v. The New York Central Insurance Company
- Status
- Published